Chesapeake Holds Off Long Island for 13-11 Win

Chesapeake Holds Off Long Island for 13-11 Win

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - Midfielder
Ben Hunt scored three goals, including a two-point tally, as the Chesapeake Bayhawks (1-0) held off the Long Island Lizards (0-1) to earn a 13-11 Major League Lacrosse victory in the season opener for both teams at Shuart Stadium on Saturday evening.

Led by two goals from attackman
Grant Catalino, the Lizards jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening eight minutes of the first quarter. But, the Bayhawks answered by scoring seven consecutive goals, including a pair of two-point markers, to take a commanding 9-3 lead with 11:12 remaining in the third quarter. Hunt scored two of his three goals during the run.

With 8:16 left in the third quarter, the Lizards ended the drought on a goal from midfielder
Brian Langtry before Hunt tallied his third goal of the game off a feed from
Kyle Dixon with 5:19 left in the period.

Trailing by a 10-4 margin, the Lizards trimmed the margin to 11-8 by scoring four of the next five points, including a two-point goal from
Keith Cromwell.

After a Langtry goal trimmed the Long Island deficit to 11-9 with 11:34 remaining, the Bayhawks used a pair of goals from midfielders
Steven Brooks and
Michael Kimmel to regain a four-point edge with 5:04 left in the fourth quarter.

Despite goals from
Doug Shanahan and
Albert Maione, the Lizards were unable to get any closer.

Hunt was named as the Bud Light Game MVP after scoring a game-high three goals while Brooks and Kimmel each added a pair of markers. Goalkeeper
TC DiBartolo made 15 saves for the Bayhawks, who outshot Long Island by a 36-35 margin.

Langtry scored a game-high four goals with an assist in a losing effort for the Lizards while Catalino contributed two goals.